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Cocooning infants: Tdap immunization for new parents in the pediatric office
Emmanuel B Walter1, Norma Allred, Beth Rowe-West
1Primary Care Research Consortium, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA. walte002@mc.duke.edu
Insights
Offering tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccination in pediatric offices increased vaccine acceptance among new parents. This strategy helps protect infants when hospital-based vaccination is not routine.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Immunization
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccination is recommended for adults in close contact with infants to prevent pertussis.
- Protecting infants from Bordetella pertussis is crucial as they are vulnerable in their first months of life.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the acceptance rate of Tdap vaccination among parents of newborns.
- To evaluate the feasibility of offering Tdap vaccination in a pediatric office setting.
Main Methods:
- Parents of newborns were approached for Tdap vaccination in a pediatric office.
- Informed consent was obtained, and eligibility criteria (no prior Tdap, Td within 2 years) were reviewed.
- Vaccination was administered by a clinic nurse.
Main Results:
- Of 200 parents approached, 40 (20%) were ineligible, primarily due to recent Td vaccination.
- Of 160 eligible parents, 82 (51.2%) received the Tdap vaccine.
- Over 40% of vaccinated parents received the Tdap vaccine at a later visit, not during the initial approach.
Conclusions:
- Pediatric office-based Tdap vaccination improves access for both mothers and fathers.
- This approach provides a viable alternative for infant protection when hospital-based vaccination is not standard practice.
Objective:
Vaccination with tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) is recommended for adults who have close contact with infants aged <12 months to protect young infants from infection due to Bordetella pertussis. This study assessed the acceptance of Tdap vaccination among parents bringing their newborn to a pediatric office during the first month of life.
Methods:
Parents of all newborns were consecutively approached for participation by a study coordinator who provided written information about the study and a Tdap vaccine information sheet. After obtaining informed consent, a study coordinator reviewed contraindications for Tdap vaccination. Tdap vaccine was given by a clinic nurse, but parents with a history of ever receiving Tdap vaccine or of receiving a tetanus and diphtheria vaccine (Td) within the previous 2 years were excluded.
Results:
Two hundred parents were approached for study participation, of whom 40 (20%) were ineligible to receive Tdap vaccine primarily due to receipt of Td vaccine within the previous 2 years (32/40). Of the 160 eligible to receive Tdap vaccine, 82 (51.2%) received a dose. Although nearly 60% of vaccinated parents received Tdap vaccine the first time they were approached, over 40% received Tdap vaccine at a subsequent office visit occurring during the baby's first month of life.
Conclusions:
Offering Tdap vaccine in the pediatric office increases access to vaccination for both new fathers and mothers. When hospital-based, postpartum Tdap vaccination is not a routine practice, office-based vaccination of parents offers an option for protecting young infants.
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